UL type Safety Listings on products?

[MuseIcal]

Hope this is the right place to post this.

I'm considering purchasing an amp from outside the US.
Should I be concerned about lack of UL (Underwriters Laboratories) type listings on products? Do products from the UK, EU and other countries have these type of safety certifications?

https://www.ul.com/about

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UL_(safety_organization)

Thanks.

 

[Speedskater]

If it plugs into AC power (or it itself is an AC cord) it should have a safety organization certification or listing.
'UL' is one of about two dozen safety organizations.

 

[amirm]

You are asking a good question. Look for the comparable mark from Europe (CE) that is certified by third-party. You can be safe from major brands. For smaller ones, find out if they have certification by external lab or not.

While there are differences between different standards, with respect to consumer use, they provide comparable comfort as far as safety.

 

[Universal Cereal Bus]

US equivalents: https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/nrtllist.html
...or maybe not, if you believe AvE: https://www.reddit.com/r/Skookum/comments/8rclch
Whatever you end up choosing, just go watch some AvE vidjeos.

 

[NTomokawa]

CE is a self-certification, which in practice means "I hereby declare that this product conforms to CE", without any third-party verification.

UL, ETL, CSA and TÜV are third-party certifications.

 

[audio2design]

Agree on the CE. Have seen some dodgy CE. ENEC would be better or as noted a listing in Europe by a major lab.


In the US it's a legal patchwork where you may legally not need a certified piece of equipment though your insurance may disagree and will if there is a fire. I see lots of boutique tuner products (cables, so called power filters, etc.) shipping without certs. One with a clear top I noted did not appear to use a plastic type that would make certification.